David Bertolini was named interim provost on October 10, 2022, and became permanent provost with a three-year term as of March 1, 2023.

He joined NDSU in 2013 as professor and chair of the architecture and landscape architecture department. He was named interim dean of arts, humanities and social sciences in July 2017, and following a national search was named the permanent dean in March 2018.

As co-chair of the 2021-2026 strategic planning committee, Bertolini collaborated with a large group of stakeholders across campus to generate discussion, gather feedback and produce our current strategic plan that guides our institution for the next several years.

Bertolini came to NDSU from Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, where he served as graduate coordinator and associate professor. Before that, he was a lecturer at Villanova University in Philadelphia. He also has worked as a practicing architect for firms in Pennsylvania, New York and France.

He earned his bachelor’s degree at the University of Florida, Master of Architecture at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and doctorate in English from Temple University.

He is a first-generation college student, whose father worked as a bus driver and mother was a department store clerk. The positive experience in college and brilliant professors he had throughout his learning journey helped him to succeed.